File image of billionaire, Democratic Party mega-donor and co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman. Photograph:( Reuters )
Co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman is known to have openly backed Kamala Harris' presidential campaign and is now mulling on the idea of moving abroad
Billionaire, Democratic Party mega-donor and co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman has been reportedly unhappy about the victory of President-elect Donald Trump and has been planning to leave the country.
Hoffman openly supported the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris. He informed his friends about considering relocating overseas because he is fearful about how Trump will use power in the White House against his political enemies, as reported by the New York Times.
In July, after Trump faced their first failed assassination attempt, Hoffman felt he was in hot water because of his previous comments in which he had expressed his wish for the Republican leader to be an “actual martyr.”
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According to a report published in the Times in April last year, Hoffman, who had made a donation of $10 million to a super PAC that was supporting Harris, had also helped bankroll a defamation lawsuit that was filed against Trump by former New York magazine writer E. Jean Carroll.
In the court, the lawyers of Trump at the time had also argued about the role of Hoffman in financing the lawsuit and raised questions over the credibility of Carroll.
Trump was found guilty of sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 by a jury. The victim was given $5 million in damages.
An additional $83.3 million was given to Carroll in damages for defamation by another jury after Trump claimed that she had lied about rape allegations.
Along with Hoffman, other deep-pocketed Democrat donors have also been considering moving abroad with Trump coming at the helm.
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As per the Times, various major donors and their advisers have discussed the scope of leaving the country.
The left-leaning donor network Democracy Alliance held a four-day gathering, and the meeting was said to have the feel of a "funeral", as reported by the Times.
“People are kind of shell-shocked — and trying to figure out what happened,” said tech mogul Steve Silberstein, while speaking to the publication.
“People are trying to adjust to reality and plot out a path forward," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)